Mythed but not Forgotten
by L Bradford
Summary: Sequel to Myth-Use, set during Myth-Chief. Skeeve deals with coming back. Relationships get complicated, but weren't they already? The Bazaar on Deva is a scene of staid interest in the proceedings. Yeah, right.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Myth-ed but not Forgotten

Sequel to Myth-Use, set at the beginning of Myth-Chief, AU in that Skeeve is in love with Aahz. Makes a bit more sense having read Myth-Use, but doing so isn't necessary. I highly recommend reading Myth-Chief first, because it is a wonderful book and I would hate to spoil the joy of reading it first with my amatuer efforts at the characterisation.

Chapter One

---

I wouldn't have understood.

~Dorothy

---

So I went away for a while. I couldn't stay, but almost no one else really gets that. Being a phony for the rest of my life? No thank you. And to be honest, I wanted to do something to...impress them. Even though we were partners, they all have this idea of me where I'm an ignorant kid, even Tanda.

Even Aahz.

The thing is, mostly they're good about keeping that away from the surface, but sometimes it rears up and they try to protect me from something I could...I should be able to handle.

How do you approach someone as equals when you know they don't think of you that way?

Yes, I still have this...thing, I guess you could call it. For Aahz, of all people. And it's bad enough I'm part of the reason he lost his powers, but he doesn't seem to care about that for the most part, or at least he doesn't blame me.

He doesn't trust me to have his back when a heavy-hitter comes to play. He trusts that I might be able to weasel us out of things, but not actually be useful in a full out confrontation, and he was right.

My magikal abilities were a joke. I could do a few parlor tricks and talk fast, and I have some impressive friends who were willing to go bat for me, as Tanda would say. But I'm not as "Magnificent" as I'm billed.

So me and Bunny came back to the Inn on Klah and I began studying a mail order course to perk up my nearly nonexistent abilities, and in the meantime, turned into a real jerk, apparently.

Bunny and I just came back to the Bazaar on Deva, me feeling pretty good about things, my skills somewhat more advanced...and nearly got froze out of our old tent when I mentioned I was coming out of retirement. And Aahz wasn't even there, something back on Perv with his mother, the Duchess, and I...

"I can do this, Bunny." I say. She frowns at me. "I can't...you know why I left. If he feels the same way, like I'm trying to step on their toes or something, I don't..."

Her face softens. "I understand, Skeeve." She looks behind us. "Want to head back, then?"

I nod. "For a start." Clearing the air with my friends will hopefully give me some clue for doing the same with Aahz.

When we knock at the door again, the greeting is a bit slower, but business is business and we re-enter quietly.

The others stare at me, Guido and Nunzio standing in the middle of the entry area. Their faces are sort of blank. I hate it. "I didn't realize until Bunny pointed it out to me that you might think I was trying to...take over or cut in on your business. I'm not. I wanted to do answers, not high-stakes retrieval and rescues like you've been doing. I'm sorry I didn't come back before and talk about it, I was waiting to get my classification officially recognized to really start thinking about this, and then I just...did it."

They start to soften. "No way, Skeeve, that's amazing. You've gone up a level in a few months?"

I flush a little. "Uh..."

"Two," Bunny supplies.

Tanda's eyes widen. "Two?!"

I nod, looking at the floor. "It isn't that impressive, really. I was starting at the bottom, the only way to go was up."

She whistled. "Still, that's...really something, Skeeve." She shakes her head. "When did you find out?"

"Two days ago." I may not have been consciously thinking about it but I'd been well prepared to pack up when it had come through. "I thought...I wanted to be useful."

I'd thought we might be able to work together again, but not like before, I didn't say. I hoped I might be a better friend now. "I'm an idiot, never mind." I shouldn't even talk to Aahz at the rate I'm going, I won't have a friendship left to salvage, let alone anything else.

"We'll set up somewhere else. I don't want to cause you guys trouble."

A clamor at that, everyone trying to say something at the same time, even Bunny. "Stop!"

A little magnification of my voice can go a long way, and turning it off gives me just a minute to think about this. "You...don't want me out of here?"

Nobody can hug like a Trollop. Tanda squeezes me and it feels as distractingly nice as ever. (I may be in love with Aahz but that doesn't mean I'm dead.)

"You may be well on your way to being a fantastic magician for real, Handsome, but you can still be a little clueless. Of course we want you here! We were just surprised, and...well, surprised. You understand, right?"

I nod. Being surprised at...everything, for long periods of my life (my introduction to the Bazaar being one of the long high points), I certainly understood needing time to catch up. "So...okay, we were all ready to set up shop, but I think I'd like to wait until we all have a chance to sit down and talk this out like I should've thought to do before."

The others are all nodding, relieved looks on even Guido's face. "That's a great idea, boss."

Bunny looks a little unhappy, but when I catch her eye she smiles at me. She really has been great the last few months, helped me out a lot. I was sort of messed up for a while, the wine and...well, learning about Aahz's family kind of hit me in stages until I really understood what Aahz had lost when Garkin had played his prank. If it wasn't for Bunny, I might still be hiding at the Inn, with no plans to do anything much at all.

"Did Aahz say how long the trip would be?" I ask as unobtrusively as I can. Was he in some kind of trouble? Or rather, his mother? I wasn't very fond of Aahz's mother, but the point is she's his mother, and if she gets hurt, it hurts Aahz. What hurts Aahz hurts me.

Bunny has also forced me to realize what a big sap I am, but that is neither here nor there at the moment.

Chumley shakes his head. "Afraid not, but the old boy didn't seem too concerned, if that eases your mind."

Even now they see right through me.

Considering Tanda is hugging me again for worrying about Aahz, and I'm starting to feel like I didn't lose all my friends...I don't mind at all.

They even let us stay with them in our old rooms while waiting for Aahz to come back so we could discuss my future, and Bunny's by extension. I really did get lucky when Garkin took me in all those years ago.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

---

I think I'll miss you most of all.

~Dorothy

---

So while we were waiting for Aahz to return we got dragged into a family dispute that turned into a meeting of Titanic forces, literally. Having to negotiate with a psychotic Titan with more power than my team combined was...interesting. But we managed to get him out of our clients' hair and even resolve their issues by restoring the heirloom they were fighting over to both of them, though that was more their father's work than ours.

It's been about a week now, and other than the Imp siblings, we've turned down most cases and had to turn OUT several hundred curious gawkers aiming for a peek at the Magnificent Skeeve, possibly coming back out of retirement? Who knew!

My disappearance from and then return back to Deva was all very mysterious to the denizens of the Bazaar, and therefor incredibly interesting. There were merchandisers already trying to cash in on the action with cheap wares that almost crossed the line of copyright infringement. Almost equaled a nice profit at the Bazaar.

Heck, crossing the line equaled profit if you have a bookie friend willing to take bets on the outcome of whatever battle occurred over the insult...for a cut, of course.

We were all pretty tired of waiting for it to die down by this point, so when Bunny mentioned being hungry while she was reworking the filing system which had somehow degenerated to chaos in her absence, I leapt on the chance to get out under disguise -- my actual appearance -- and escape the constant (if slowing flow of gawkers. He dropped his Garkin-disguise in some shadows and joined the tail of a group of "well-wishers" who'd just been turned away, leaving unobtrusively as possible.

Once I was away from the crowds, my entire body relaxed. It's been a while since I've been subject to so much attention in tight quarters.

I took my time walking the Bazaar, stretching the moment of freedom as long as possible before returning to the bedlam MYTH Inc. had briefly become.

On the way back I managed to come across a despondent Pixie by the name of Flinna who'd taken one look at me and then related her woes: a Pixie who didn't like flowers was a little strange, but what she could do with birds was pretty amazing. Those illusions were incredible. And yet, she couldn't find work at all, anywhere. And if it wasn't available at the Bazaar, I understood why she didn't think she'd be able to find it anywhere. Deva is well known for it's ability to take anything and turn it into a marketable trade, mostly because the Deveels here have the training and personalities to make a drowning man pay top dollar for a glass of water, and are actually the origin point of that saying if the rumors are true.

But Flinna's story struck a chord in me: just yesterday, when I was helping Bunny with the filing out of sheer boredom I overheard her and Maasha trading gossip back and forth. What struck me now was the bit about Maasha's old friend, Princess Gloriannamarjolie and her prince having a bit of a tiff about his hunting hobby, and how she didn't really like it but had at least convinced him to keep the numbers down to avoid a serious impact on the fowl-ecosystems.

Wasn't that just perfect? I wanted to make sure I understood the one-sided conversation I'd heard though, so I got Flinna to come back with me and we snuck into the MYTH Inc headquarters passed the crowd with a nice veil I picked up in my studies.

Back inside their HQ, Bunny confirms what I thought I overheard. I explain Flinna's circumstances and after a minute Bunny's eyes widen. Nobody paying attention could ever accuse her of being slow on the uptake. "Skeeve, that'd be perfect!"

I grinned. "Let's hope they think so."

A few calls later and I was escorting Flinna to an interview with Prince Bosheer and Princess Gloriannamarjolie. I was relieved to see them hit it off immediately after a little confusion with the Prince, who was relieved to find that he could hunt to his heart's contentment and not impact the local populations at all.

I happily left her to settle into her new career of choice. All in all, it felt nice to be doing what I thought I'd be doing when we came back. Flinna even paid two gold pieces for the service despite not being obligated. I figured on sharing some of the profit with Maasha, being as she'd been the one to mention the need in the first place.

After stopping in to let Maasha know what'd happened, I headed back to MYTH Inc's tent to find the crowd had finally dispersed. When I walked in, the looks on everyone's faces showed a certain nervousness. And Aahz was standing in the middle of the room, staring at me blankly. I moved two steps closer automatically, then stopped at the less than welcoming blankness on Aahz's face. "Hey, Aahz."

Aahz stared at me for a minute before his face softened just a bit. "Hey, kid." He smiled, a hint of fang showing. "Hear congratulations are in order? Or should that be 'welcome back'?"

I shifted to a slightly steadier stance, unsure of my own reactions to seeing Aahz for the first time in so long.

Okay, that wasn't completely true. I was unavoidably aware of certain reactions, being that they were biologically undeniable. But emotionally? Uncertain was the word. "I guess that depends on..." not Aahz alone, though his opinion was probably the most important one, but I wasn't going to disregard the rest of his friends either. "Everyone."

"I was going to try something sort of different from MYTH, but I don't want to--I didn't mean to step on any toes. I don't think it would be in competition, but when I realized how everyone thought...they were kind of cool when they realized I was thinking of setting up shop in the Bazaar again," I tried not to think about the sinking feeling I'd gotten leaving, that first time. "It's understandable, so we came back and I figured we could all...talk it out. We were waiting for you."

Aahz glanced sharply at the active members of MYTH Inc and the guilt on their faces was pretty clear. "Did you at least say welcome back before making him feel like mud?"

They winced. "Of course we did, Aahz!" Tanda protested.

Chumley held up a hand. "To be honest, little sister, we said we were pleased to see him before he told us...and our congratulations immediately after were less than sincere, I'm afraid."

I'm not proud to say I was shocked into momentary silence at the stand off, but only for a minute before I caught up and grabbed Aahz's arm. "Hey, no, I really do understand now, Bunny explained it to me. I just...never thought to compete with you guys, I guess. I wouldn't hurt you, you know that, right?" Vigorous nodding from everyone currently worried about an angry Pervect, and Aahz was at least looking at me and not sharing his impressive scowl with the others.

I licked my lips and continued. "I've been gone a while...I needed to go, but I don't think I explained myself well at all, and I've been gone a while, so it...I don't like that I was such a bad friend that you all thought I'd do something like that, but that's my fault, not yours. I'm really sorry."

The look on Aahz's face stopped me cold. The rest of any explanation could wait. My throat went dryer than the desert but I had to say it again, because he deserved it. Looking straight at Aahz, I repeat. "I'm sorry."

Aahz watched me for a moment, eyes missing nothing, before he nodded slowly. "Guess you're not quite as smart as I thought you were," he finally said.

I frowned. "Is that really fair?"

Aahz smirked and slung an arm around my waist, tugging me to a seat. "Winner decides what's fair. Anyway, what's this idea you had?"

I let myself be distracted; I was happy to just be allowed back with my friends crowded around me, and I had been a bit stupid about it all.

The next week and a half was not one of the longest of my life: that title probably has to go to the several stretches of time when I was responsible for Queen Hemlock's taxes. Even so, it was a nerve-wracking week: we managed to get ourselves between a deposed monarch and her deposer, and both of them were asking for help for free or next to nothing.

Me and Aahz nearly argued over how to help -- if we were helping at all, without being paid well -- when Bunny put her foot down. After discussing the issues a little further and thinking about both stories we'd heard, I asked Bunny if she thought it might not be a bad idea to get the two leaders of Foxe-Swampburg together for a necessary discussion.

Bunny had already called them back and shortly it came out that neither was quite what the other had feared. It wasn't apparent to me until Bunny explained it later, but it was also found that the two were in love.

That was well enough, but they still had the concern of Foxe-Swampburg's finances immediately and trying to figure out how to resolve the issue with the death warrant on Princess Hermalaya and the martial law Matfany had nearly imposed on the populace.

They were talking about unique points in their home world, and when Princess Hermalaya explained about her life-long dedication to Cake, I came up with the idea of possibly marketing Cake. The others weren't sure it would work, but Hermalaya was happy to provide a demonstration and everyone was very impressed afterwards.

We agreed it could be a start and I was given the task of being the face on that exercise so the princess wouldn't be seen as mercenary. Aahz didn't believe that would be worth much and so took on Matfany and decided to take a tour of Foxe-Swampburg to see if he could come up with anything better.

While they were deciding which clients to approach, me and Bunny brainstormed and decided on trying to find some creditors who might be moved into forgiving a debt and maybe even persuaded into donating to the cause. We immediately got a list together and realized a lot of the names on it had a home base in the Bazaar. Perfect.

I explained what we were trying to do and then we set to figure out how to best explain the situation to get a sympathetic reaction. Hermalaya volunteered her diary and I discovered that her writing skills were incredibly effective. If she wasn't a princess she'd have a bright future as a writer.

She was hesitant at first, but agreed to allow her diary to be used directly so their clients could hear immediately what had happened; I have this spell that was perfect for the situation, to really drive the story home. It shows a physical representation of anything the writer was thinking of as she was putting down her words, and Hermalaya was very thorough in her writing and imagination. It was perfect. Then Bunny pointed out that that might detract from Aahz's efforts, considering how much of the negativity was directly from the confusion between the princess and her Prime Minister, and how much bad press Matfany would get.

I immediately called for a huddle and explained our ideas and the projection. Aahz was quiet a moment, thinking it through and then...

The argument was unpleasant. I hadn't been looking at this as a contest and I was upset that Aahz thought I was trying to make his own job harder. My temper got the better of me and it took Bunny to sort it out.

She pointed out that I called for the meet to avoid any negative press, and I nearly agreed to Aahz's suggestion to turn this into a contest until I saw Hermalaya's distressed face as she clutched Matfany's hand. I swallowed my anger. It was my own fault, anyway: I left, and Aahz was justifiably angry but I hadn't wanted to see it. Aahz had seemed to accept me back and I hadn't wanted to look at it too deeply.

My shoulders sagged a little. We couldn't work like this. If this was how it would be, then...I met Bunny's eyes as she was trying to mediate and shook my head.

I turned to Hermalaya. "We're experiencing some internal politics which preclude me from being able to continue as your contact. It's a good idea, and your diary will sell really well I think. Bunny will be better at this than me, anyway."

I couldn't look at Aahz. I was too disappointed in both of us right now.

"Kid. Skeeve, stop." Aahz's voice was loud in the otherwise quiet room.

I owed him too much not to stop and listen, so I turned around and looked at the wall behind his left shoulder.

"You're walking away from this?" He demanded.

I swallowed the flood of saliva in my mouth. Have you ever noticed right when you're about to throw up, your mouth floods? Well, I felt ill and that was a sign that it wouldn't just stop at an upset stomach. "Client comes first and a contest with us pitting them against each other is not what they need," I said as firmly as I could. "I'm sorry I'm such a poor friend that you think I'm trying to willingly sabotage you, but it's clear that we can't even think of working together on this until we work some things out. I'm the one who left, I'll step back until we figure out what we need to do."

He was quiet for a few minutes. "You're right," he finally barked. "But only that they come first. I'm man enough to work with you, no matter how much of a boneheaded idiot you act like."

My temper pricked again, jerking me to glare directly into his yellow eyes. Then I realized he'd done it on purpose from the satisfaction on his face. The anger cooled a little as I realized what he'd done: he needed some kind of contest for his own reasons, so he'd turned his own need into a way to help the clients and clear up his own issues. "Anything you can do," I said smirking. "You sure you can keep up?"

Aahz snorted. "Don't get ahead of yourself, junior."

The others were watching us and could at least follow that a cease fire had been issued as a cold war moved in: they weren't really happy, but they relaxed a little now that open firing had stopped. The Foxes were less relieved, being unable to read us as easily as our friends.

We spent a few minutes reassuring them and then we were back on topic trying to figure out how to resolve the mess Matfany's temper had created.

I'm pleased to say I came up with the idea of killing Matfany and introducing a hero to rescue the kingdom and restore Hermalaya. After explaining the idea, everyone agreed it was the best way for them to be together, but Hermalaya said she would probably have to talk to the older members of the Fox community, the Old Ones. I noted that they were appropriately named, at least. They didn't seem to get it.

Foxes tend to be direct.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

---  
I know a good one about a man and some curtains...  
~Dorothy

The "contest" was over and Bunny had come out on top. Skeeve hadn't even realized it was the presidency of MYTH Inc Aahz was pitting on their competition at first, but he wasn't concerned: it was definitely fitting, and more than deserved that in the competition between the two of them, Bunny won. Especially since he wasn't sure how things could have worked out if he or Aahz had beaten the other.

Now that that was out of the way, Skeeve had an important matter to take care of. It had just been underlined by the turnaround: Aahz had gone from being willing to kill when those Cake Masters had attacked him to antagonistic over the contest almost immediately, and while some of it was just Aahz's personality and upbringing, some of it was insecurity Skeeve was just learning to recognize in his unshakable mentor.

He'd been incredibly kind, especially for Aahz, when Skeeve had been recovering but when Skeeve no longer needed his protection, they were back to being...not enemies, but opposites. It wasn't a feeling Skeeve liked, but he recognized the causes.

Now he just had to figure out how to fix it. And the Humbees, apparently.

"So...you want to go get a milkshake and have a brainstorming session?" he asked Aahz hopefully. He glanced quickly at Bunny, but she just nodded. Skeeve got the feeling she knew what he was trying to do.

Aahz wasn't completely clueless either, judging from the glance between the two of them, but he was game. "Sure, ki...Skeeve."

At that, Skeeve smiled brightly at him. "Great! My treat."

Aahz grinned and slung an arm around Skeeve's back to grab his opposite shoulder. "Music to my ears," he said steering them both out of the head office.

The Golden Arches were as clean as ever, and they got their milkshakes fast. After that there was an awkward pause as Skeeve tried to figure out how to start.

Aahz seemed a little uncomfortable as well, at least.

"Look, kid-"

"Aahz, I wanted-"

They both stopped, then Skeeve laughed a little and waived Aahz on.

Smiling a little, Aahz snorted and took a drink of his milkshake. "Skeeve. I should say...I never really thought you were sabotaging me."

Skeeve's eyebrows arched dangerously high at that, causing Aahz to scowl. "Well, I shouldn't have. If I'd really thought about it for two minutes, I would've known it wasn't you. You don't do things like that."

Skeeve swallowed, looking down into his milkshake. "No, I just abandon my friends and my livelihood for no good reason, right?"

Aahz looked uncomfortable again. "...look-"

Skeeve shook his head. "No, I understand why everyone -- why *you* felt that way. I didn't mean it like that, I never intended...geez, Aahz, hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted to do." Aahz watched him, face unreadable, but he'd started and he meant to continue. "I couldn't...I couldn't be a phony the rest of my life, Aahz. I want...I really want to be useful. I want to be someone everyone can depend on, not just as...the mascot, or something. Gleep and Buttercup are way better at that than me, anyway. I was sort of useless before, in everything but what you taught me about conning people."

Aahz nodded slowly, taking another pull of his milkshake. "I can see why you might have felt that way," he said finally.

Skeeve tugged on his ear, a habit he'd picked up somewhere in the months he'd been on Klah (or maybe that short, alleged stint on Perv). "I'm really sorry."

Aahz leaned back in his chair. "Why didn't you keep in touch?"

With him, because Skeeve had kept up with the others even just occasionally through Bunny. Skeeve winced, his hand dropping to join the other in his lap. They were both quiet for a few minutes. "I've had more wine this week than I have in months. I didn't behave well at all. I wanted...when you're around, what I want gets so focused. I wanted to get better all around, but when you're around I just wanted to be better for you, and we already did that, Aahz, I needed to be more." He bit his lip, shook his head. "It's no excuse, but I can be really weak sometimes..."

He chanced a look at Aahz, who was watching him blankly. Best to get it all out. "I'm also sorry about your powers. I was feeling pretty bad about it before I began studying, and then...it just got worse. I just can't remember that stupid incantation."

They were quiet for a few minutes. "I was right about you being pretty stupid sometimes, kid."

Skeeve looked up sharply. "Aahz!"

He shook his head. "I forget how young you are," he explained. "You have to be stupid now so you aren't too stupid later."

Skeeve frowned, thinking of all the old timers they'd swindled over the years. "What about--"

"Didn't make enough mistakes as kids," Aahz interrupted. "So you felt bad for me, and can't control yourself around me."

Skeeve sat up. "I can! I just wasn't ready. I really think I can, though. I sort of have to because...if you're not completely against the idea, I'd like to ask Bunny to make us partners again."

Oh, this part was making him sort of ill. "I'd also like to say that my...intentions haven't changed." He licked his lips and forged ahead. "I understand if you aren't interested anymore, but I wanted to say that I'd like to, uh--"

He hadn't gotten to the part about asking a Pervect out on a date in his attempts to broaden his horizons. "Later, of course, after we get comfortable with each other again, and I make up for being a big idiot--"

Clawed hands over his mouth was an excellent way to shut him up. Aahz was finishing his milkshake. After swallowing, he set it down and dropped his hand from Skeeve's mouth. "Okay."

Skeeve blinked. "Really?"

Aahz shrugged. "Later, after we get used to each other again, we'll see," he said. "As for the incantation...why didn't you say it was bugging you that much? There's all sorts of temporary memory enhancements you can get for the short-term. Not exactly cheap, but if it's bothering you that much--"

"Yeah!" Skeeve leaned forward. "What kind? I've been looking all over for something like that!"

Aahz laughed softly. "Mostly they're underground, students use them a lot around finals on Perv. Let me make some calls, I'll let you know how much it'll cost."

Skeeve was so happy to be getting somewhere that he didn't care Aahz was making this sound like a favor when it would maybe get his powers back. "That'd be great, Aahz!"

Aahz shook his head, grinning. "I missed you."

They both froze, realizing that off the cuff, amused admittance was more meaningful than it might normally be. Skeeve set his milkshake down and hesitantly slid his hand beneath one of Aahz's broad hands and settled his other on top of it before his old mentor could lean back. He studied the contrast, the difference in textures.

Then he squeezed the hand he was holding because he couldn't hug Aahz the way he wanted to, yet. "Me too, Aahz."

Aahz returned the grip before he tugged his hand free. "Right, so I was thinking we should start in the Archive, get some more basic info on the Humbees."

Skeeve tried to blink away the dust that was irritating his eyes and nodded, glad for the emotional respite work provided. "That sounds good, but one thing."

Aahz frowned. "What's up?"

"What's an Ark Hive?"

Aahz blinked, then groaned. "Kid..."

Skeeve grinned at him. Aahz stared. "Did you just psych me out?"

Skeeve wasn't sure what that was, but the tone was about right. He lost the smirk and tried to look innocent. "What do you mean?"

Aahz gave him the gimlet eye for a minute, Skeeve holding the innocent facade the whole time. Then, about the same time, they both started laughing.

~

They had put a good foot forward, and Skeeve was ecstatic to realize working with Aahz was as fun as it ever had been once they eased back into each other's company.

Skeeve couldn't stop sneaking looks at Aahz when he could, and every now and then he felt like someone was looking at him, only to find Aahz absorbed in something else.

It wasn't the same as before, but that wasn't necessarily bad: Skeeve hadn't been ready to hold up his end of a more adult relationship with Aahz before, and now he thought he was.

They got rid of the Humbees. There were complications, of course, but in the end it had all worked out for the best. And they were back together, which was more payment than Skeeve could ask for. Not that he turned his nose up at his share of the money Bunny cut them all in on for their work, a payment from the collective merchants of the Bazaar for getting rid of the Humbees.

If nothing else, Aahz would've smacked him silly for even suggesting that they not take it, since they were partners and he was taking his share, so Skeeve better not try to make him look bad.

Skeeve was just happy they could still work together and that they'd gotten most of the issues between them cleared up. He tried not to be too much of a hassle when he could avoid it, but they'd still clashed a few times over methods during the investigation-turned-chaos. They'd weathered through them just fine and things were almost like before: maybe better, knowing that they could still argue with each other, but also that they could compromise without being forced to.

It had been rough sailing here and there while they got used to working together again, but Skeeve was happy. He had even had a chance to watch Aahz in action, finding it pretty satisfying considering what the Deveel had tried to say about Pervects in general and Aahz in particular.

Bunny could see the cleared skies too, if her satisfied smile on their triumphant return was any evidence. "Great job, you two. Glad to see you getting along. Take the rest of the day off to recuperate."

They both accepted gracefully and made way for Chumley.

Aahz paused in the hallway. "Hey, Skeeve, you want to head down to the tavern? I could tell you about a few of the cases you missed."

Skeeve hesitated, looking down. "I'd really like that, Aahz. It's just..."

"The liquor?"

Skeeve realized this was going to be an important test. Aahz had a cast iron liver, and he'd be drinking all the time: if Skeeve was going to be around him again, he'd have to be able to control himself. "Never mind, I'm in."

Aahz eyed him for a moment before shrugging in apparent nonchalance. "Let's shake it, then."

Skeeve didn't know what he was supposed to shake, and Aahz groaned at the confusion on his face before grabbing his arm and hauling him out of the tent.

~

It was difficult at first, and the serving girl gave him a confused look when he asked for water until Aahz told her to bring a wine jug out too. Apparently that made more sense and she brought both. Skeeve gratefully poured himself a glass of water and let Aahz keep the wine.

They talked about the cases, like Aahz had said. Skeeve thought he'd been caught up pretty well on events, but there was nothing like hearing it from Aahz himself. Then they ordered a simple dinner of stew and bread -- and Aahz got another jug of wine -- and kept talking, this time about Skeeve's studies. For this, Skeeve placed a jumbling shield around their table, distorting their conversation to uselessness for any eavesdroppers.

Aahz was impressed, and not sarcastically but the kind where he tried not to show it too loudly. Skeeve smiled into his milk (he'd had to stare at the girl for three minutes before she realized he wasn't joking when he asked for THAT) and answered his questions.

Eventually Aahz ran out of ways to try and catch Skeeve out and sat back whistling. "Damn, kid: you really went pedal to the metal, didn't you?"

Skeeve was somewhat familiar with the idea behind this metaphor, having heard it before, and shrugged, feeling some pride. "I wanted to come back," he admitted. "I wanted to be able to help more."

Aahz nodded slowly, respect on his face in a rare moment of honest emotion in public. "You're something else." He made to toast, and Skeeve quickly poured himself a glass of wine which was a good part water. Aahz nodded and they touched glasses and drained each.

After Aahz had finished his, he wiped his mouth and sat back. "Reminds me: I got a message this morning. We can get a popper through one of my cousins, but we'll have to drop 50 gold on it: little bastard wants ten percent for a finders fee."

Skeeve thought he sounded proud but knew better than to say so. "That's really great, Aahz!" He sat forward. "What can you tell me about this stuff? Have you ever tried it?"

Aahz snorted. "Didn't need it," he scoffed dismissively. "Only idiots who don't pay attention in class need that trash in school."

Skeeve watched him patiently until Aahz sighed. "It isn't that hard, Skeeve: you take a pill, get a few hours worth of total recall. The hardest part is going to be finding what you want in all the useless junk you'll be remembering."

Skeeve wondered how hard it would be to get hold of more of the drug if he couldn't get it the first time.

Aahz must have seen the look on his face, because he waived a hand at him. "Don't worry about it kid. I had Bernard grab a case of the stuff: that's why it was so expensive, on top of import fees. I figured you were on to something, and you never know when the extra might be useful."

Skeeve relaxed a little. "Glad to hear it," he said, sitting back again. They worked on their drinks companionably, Aahz and his watered wine and Skeeve and his milk. When Aahz took a long pull Skeeve leaned forward again. "Of course, if we make any money off of the pills later, I want eighty percent."

Aahz spewed. "Eighty?" He snarled. "Where do you get off--"

Skeeve smiled winningly at Aahz. "Twice what your cousin is getting for a finders fee, and since you aren't dropping your own money on it in the first place..."

Aahz swallowed whatever he was about to say down and stared at Skeeve for a moment before he started laughing. "So I should drop twenty-five gold now for fifty percent of any *possible* profits later?"

Skeeve shrugged and poured some water as he'd finished his milk already.

Aahz was watching him with open fondness now. "You little extortionist."

Skeeve frowned. "Isn't blackmail when you have embarrassing information on someone and threaten to expose it if they don't do what you want?"

Aahz shrugged. "Losing money is highly embarrassing." His tone indicated Skeeve should have known that.

The shield was dropped and the rest of the conversation involved Gleep and Buttercup's hijinks at the Inn. Skeeve wasn't exactly bouncing when they left, but he was feeling rather exuberant. He hadn't wanted wine more than a little the whole night, and spending time with Aahz relieved the small part of him which had feared he'd romanticized his old mentor too much and he wouldn't be able to appreciate the real Aahz now that they were together again.

Real Aahz was way better than imagination-Aahz, he found. For one, he told funnier jokes.

They were given a berth in the Bazaar, some respectful glances directed at them, some confused and some outright hostile: no doubt the last were from fellow magicians upset at the return of such a formidable rival.

End.

Author's note: I have more of this in my head, but Aahz and Skeeve have to get comfortable with each other again. And I don't know that anyone can read these books and expect too much explicit mush between these two. Anyway, my schedule is incredibly hectic and as such I don't know when I'll be able to finish the next part with my spring semester starting in a few days. If anyone would like to discuss characterization with me, please leave a review with an email and I'll be happy to reply and consider any points you have. Of course, this is assuming anyone reads this.


End file.
